Refrigerator car



Jan. 16, 1940. v. E. WEST REFRIGERATOR CAR Filed Oct. 21,` 1938- 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 16, `1940. v. E. WEST REFRIGERATR CAR Filed Oct. 2l, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented "Jani 16,

y l t i eimer "l W p REmrqERAToR muil` `Victor E.` `VVest,1l`levvKensington,Pawassignor to fstmdmi.` RailwyjEquipmentf Manufacturing Company; Chieagoglll., `a` corporation of Delay AmilieeoienA october 211,. 193s; i seiel t 236,151

7 claims. or iz-17).'

`This invention relates `to refrigerator` `cars fused.: to transport. perishable commoditiesfatwa pre-r ldeterminedtemperature; The essential features A of` such'a car are nan insulatedstructure 'andfaw through Ithemdoorway. The ladingo whichV is hauledfthroughthe doorway is oitenoi` aotypes-v which `may-be damaged by: Water.' Furthermore;

thefclothin'g of the `Workers-would be made moistalignedwith themthe ducts I8` when the door 5lrefrigeratingmeansfor userinwarin lweather or` by the cold liquid,` thusreatn llrlllllsiillii81nd-1-` a `heating means foriuse in` cold Weather; hazardousworking conditions .-in additionto the i Thefinventionrelates particularly to refrigerate danger ofhaving a costly ladingedamaged; l l tor cars of `the overhead-bunker type.` Cars 'of Theflamountlof liquidflowing through theside thisvtype have the 'refrigerant containers "sus Wall iiuesis usually increased by `the:openingtzoi llllfpended imrneo'liately\belowfthe'` roof. Theyare` theldoors. Heat-venters the car and melts more 1Q. oiterrprovided with drip'y pans below"thekcon-` refrigerantythu's causingea greater -flowofeliquidm tainers-` to `form refrigerantcompartments`below `There must-alsofbe consideredi'the fat-that-ree` the Aroof'and adjacentlthezside.vvallsoffthecan:` frigerator-cars areoftenloaded-before-they are It is alsocommonto provide'vertical iiuesasel Completely pre-0001@ l P1`C001illg1"`me1ts Ere-vl .ltsoeiated :with the; Side "Walls Aginds:em-erlcliiigc.to frigerant at 'a `rapid rateiWith-aeonsequent-large 15x nearfthelfloor; Theseflues serve aslpassages for amount of'liquidflowing through the flues; the flow efrefrigerated airfrom'.therefrigerant The object of-1this inventionis:tofprovidef e compartmentto below the iioortracks ofthecar meanstorprevent the `dripping-fofliquid upon@` so that it may circulate upwardly` through the.. ladingzandf Workers which are passing throught monding. The nues else serve toidre'in effi melted thefdoorwey during loading `or unloadineof the@ `refrigerantwhen a foraminous"orsemi-foramf can It isa `furtherfobject to'preventtluer aforelnous containeris used oli-condensation from the` Said `dripping WUhOllGi-mparng in any Way their container'Whenliquidlretaining tanksareruse'd: `normal flow of-air andfliquid through the-doorfq Each'sidelwallof a refrigerator carzi's provided ductewhen- `thedoor `is closed.= The operation ofo 2li vvith-la doortl'irouglfly which-lading is :transported the device Which I claim as` myfinvention will .be 125" lnto the car; Thesedoorsrmust bel'argeienough? l completely described bylreferringtothedrawinfgs.` to allow passageof `atrucktherethrough" andare" III` theldrawings' l usually about 'four feet Wide.` "The-'refrigeration' Fig. 1 is `a transverseP section through thesdoor:` ofthe car is dependent upomcold.iruirculatig of refrigerator carfshowingmy finventione The` l so downwardly through"theyebrwe` mentioned nues. position shown is with the deoreiosed. p 39 l whmnvareassociatedlwitn timeside.wa1rs'eftneL Figi 2 is af fregmentary'fseotionShowing'thef car. i door-open;4

The" refrigerating eiliciency is increased by'` Fig. 3 isla` fragmentaryviewshowing. thelflashhaving the :melted refrigerant circulate with the@` illgfplOVdd'tOPreventliquid entering `thladllg l 35 air to further.` cool the air during `passage through compartment;l` 1 l 35 the rsidevwall fues" andl'to` further insulate'the Fg.=4 is a section on line ll---4` of Fig. 2. .i `Walls of the car. Figsa and-6 show alternate constructions.

Tointerrupta ue ior'adistalnce offor feet Inwthe refrigerator car shown` inlFig..,1l, the would obviously lessen the refrgerating"eiiiciencyg USUa1-partS-aYe ShOWIl, Such aS Sub-flOOI 2; i001 4epertieu1-eriy'-smce the interruption weuldlrbeletf `3; side-51114: -floor rack-5: sideeheathing; sidedo l the doorway wheremore refrigerationis'desire lining sheet 1;\fa1se.wal1 Elformingthe nue 9;-1` `ableto'overcome` the effect'f'insulation dienaren; rooflllJ; ceilingflll011'Gf21'sile21118118 l2; ilmeltsde t cies atthe door jointst 1 A j f plate I3;` refrigerantcontainer-I4.; drip panl; t The `problem of "maintainirigfadequ'ate'refrigi i door IB having a false Wall.` |71 forming they duct 45, eretienfedjaeent the-Mdoerweyfnesfbee solved I8; threshold plate Iend insulation 20L# The 45. bypmvi'lling@hie-yorduetsA on the'1:30153` Whenw container I4` shown is a semieimperfor'ate'lower the doorsareclosed;the ducts are"aligiiedfwithv part.` When the brinereaches a certainlevel f theiside-weulnuesmirarmeeentinueuswpessege Some of it Spills through the apertures 2l and" `fortnefairamiliqmfi'from the refrigerant-@Inf flows downwardly over the drip pan 15- and, 50 ..partment to the lower `part oftheioar' `Iriuitl'ierw throughth flue 9. When the door `I6 is closed, 50.. Words, the operation is asv-if the "doorsfwereznonlasshown in` Fig. 1, the liquid flows through the f existent f V ductl. i. Whenthedoors are openedgnhoweverithepas- Referring to the flues shown in Fig.\4, which sagebecomes` discontinuous'fandltherliquidwhicn; is a section above the door, flues 30-3Lhave l 55 the flues` 30-31 will fall into the doorway and vHi closed, as shown inFig. 1. When the door is open, as in Fig. 2, any liquid flowing through y liquid away from the flues 30-3I to the flues 32--33 and is tapered downwardly toward the flues 32-33. A gasket 35 of a pliable material is provided on the lower edge of the member 34 to forma watertight seal with the drip pan I5.

The member 34 is attached tothe upper end of an arm 33 which is pivoted to a bracket 31 secured preferably to the side wall of the car. The lower end38 of the arm 38 is adapted to be operated by the door l 6. When the door is closed, as shown in Fig. 1, the upper edge of the false wall l1 on the door I B bears against the lower end 38 of the arm 36 and moves it inwardly, lifting the member 34 and permitting liquid to flow through the duct i8. When the door I6 is opened, as shown in Fig. 2, the pressure against the lowery end 38 of the arm 36 is released and the member 34 is allowed to rest upon the drip pan l5. When the door IB is opened, the member falls by gravity` upon the drip pan l5 due to its lrelatively large massA and overhang'ing relation vto the arm 36.

Fig. 3 is a view looking toward the false walls B-IT from within the flue 9 and duct i8. shows a flashing arranged above and to the sides of the opening 46 to prevent the splashing liquid therethrough when `the door I6 is closed.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the member 34 rests upon the drip pan i5 by reason of its own weight. It may be desirable to provide a more positive means for holding the member down. A spring would be suitable, such as the helical spring shown in Fig. 5, or the ytorsional spring 5I shown in Fig. 6. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2,an offset portion 52 is provided on the arm 35 to bear against the false wall 8 when v,the door I6 is closed to keep the member 34 and arm 36 from rattling.4

The device herein disclosed is intended to stop flow of water through the doorway when the door is open. The member 34 having the gasket 35 diverts the liquid to flues 32-33. When the door is closed. a mechanism is provided to space vthe exact details of construction shown and described, as itis obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of the claims will occur to persons skilled in the art.

1.1 In a refrigerator car having spaced apart insulated ,wa1ls,. an insulated roof extending therebetween, a drip pan sloping downwardly ktoward onel of said walls and spaced below said roof to provide a refrigerant compartment therebetween, a flue associated with said wall and arranged to transmit air and liquid from said compartment to the lower part of the car, a doorway through said wall and said flue and a door adapted to close theA doorway in said wall, said door having associated therewith a duct which aligns with said flue when the door is closed to form a continuous passage, the combination of a member on the upper surface of said drip pan arranged to prevent flow of liquid through said doorway when the door is open, and means by which said member is spaced from said drip pan when the door is closedto permit flow of liquid through said duct.

2. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart yinsulated walls, an insulated roof extending therebetween, a dripy pan sloping downwardly toward one of said walls and spaced below said roof to provide a refrigerant compartment therebetween, a flue associated with said wall and arranged to transmit air and liquid from said compartment to the lower part of the car, a doorway through said wall and said flue and a door adapted to close the doorway in said wall,

'said' door having associated therewith a duct which aligns with said flue when the door closed to form a continuous passage, the combinationl of a member on the upper surface of said drip pan arranged to divert liquid to the flue on either side of the doorway when the door is open,

. and means by which said member is spaced from saiddrip pan when the door is closed to permit flow of liquid through said duct.

3. In a refrigerator oar having spaced apart insulated walls, an insulated roof extending therebetween, a drip pan sloping downwardly toward one of said walls and spaced below said roof to provide a refrigerant compartment therebetween, a flue associated with said wall and arranged to transmit air and liquid from said compartment to the lower part of the car, a doorway through ,said wall and said ilue and a door adapted to close the doorway in said wall, said door having associated therewith a duct which aligns with said flue when the door is closed to form a continuous passage, the combination of a member resting on the upper surface of said drip pan and arranged to divert liquid to the iiue on either side of the doorway when the door is open, said member being mounted upon a pivoted arm so that closing said door rotates said arm and lifts said member from the drip pan to permit flow of liquid through said duct.

4. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart insulated walls, an insulated roof extending therebetween, a drippan sloping downwardly toward one of said walls and spaced below said roof to provide al refrigerant compartment therebetween, a ue associated with said wall and arranged to transmit air and liquid from said compartment to the lower part of the car, a doorway through said wall and said flue and a door adapted to close the doorway in said wall, said door having associated therewith a duct which aligns with said k:Hue when the door is closed to form a continuous passage the combination of a member on the upper surface of said drip pan arranged to divert liquid to the flue on either side of the 'doorway when the door is open, said member being mounted upon a pivoted arm so that closing said door rotates said arm and lifts said member from the drip pan to permit ow of liquid through said duct, and a spring adapted to yieldingly hold said member against said dripv pan when the door is open.

5. In4 a refrigerator car having spaced apart insulated walls, an insulated roof extending therebetween, a drip pan sloping downwardly toward one of said walls and spaced below said roof to providea refrigerant compartment therep `*2,187,291` n between, a flue Vassociated fwith said' wall and n way when the door is open, and means by which arranged to transmit air andliquid from said compartment to the lower part of the car, a-"cloorway through saidfwall and said flue and adoor adapted to close the'doorway in said wall, "said `"door havingassociated therewith a duct which aligns with said flue when the door is closed to form a continuous passage, the combination of a `member extending beyond thesides of said doorway on the `uppersurface of said drip pan to disaid member is spaced from said drip pan when thedoor `is closed to permit flow of liquid through said duct.

6. A structure as defined in claim Zivi/'herein an edge of said. member slopes downwardly toward said flue for draining of liquid.

'7L A structure as defined in claim 2 wherein said member is` provided with a pliable surface for watertight contact with said drip pan.

i VICTOR E. WEST. 

